Funai Shows Off Android-based Universal Remote Control

The Android
mobile platform has certainly been getting its fair share of attention lately.
In addition to the many Android smartphones that were demoed at CES, there were also other
Android-based devices to be seen. Take Funai Electric Co's universal remote
control, for instance. Based on Android, the I-Remote was first demoed at CES
this year.

This multifunctional multimedia device runs on Android 1.5.
It features a 7-inch touch-sensitive screen. After you select the name of a TV
manufacturer on the menu screen, you'll see an operation panel for the TVs that
are made by that manufacturer.

The I-Remote has a Wi-Fi module that provides access to the
Internet. Thanks in part to its large display, the remote can also be used as a
digital photo frame that shows pictures and movies stored on an SD card.

The remote can also be used as a DLNA (Digital Living
Network Alliance) client for a home network to play movie clips stored on a networked
PC on a TV. In the future, Funai is considering adding a video-conference
function based on Skype.

Funai plans to release the I-Remote sometime this year for less
than $300.